Pyramidal highway warning marker



J. B. PLATT Ill PYRAMIDAL HIGHWAY WARNING MARKER Filed Aug 21, 1968 Dec. 23, 1969 INVENTOR JAMES BEACH PLATT,I!I

United States Patent M 3,485,202 PYRAWDAL IHGHWAY WARNING MARKER James Beach Platt 111, Stevenson, Md., assignor to Plait Corporation, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Aug. 21, 1968, Ser. No. 754,218 Int. Cl. EOlf 9/10; G08b 5/00 U.S. (ll. 11663 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fiberboard road warning marker comprising a two layered pyramidal shaped marker having an open base adapted to rest on the roadway. The fiberboard is preferably corrugated, coated and/ or impregnated with a water proofing material, and brightly colored to increase its visibility. The markers of the present invention find particular utility in indicating portions of highways or roads upon which lane line lines or other indicia have been freshly painted.

Many devices have been employed in the past for these 7 purposes. Perhaps the presently most commonly used prior art devices are rubber or plastic cones.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved highway warning marker which is more economical than prior art rubber or plastic cones and yet has sufficient strength and weather resistance to function for its intended purpose.

The markers of the invention cost only approximately one third to one half of the cost of competing rubber or plastic cones. The substantially lower cost of the markers of the invention more than compensates for the fact that the subject markers are more prone to weathering than certain prior art markers. Furthermore, it has been found that the life of a marker of the subject type frequently is not predicated upon weather resistance but rather is cut short by pilferage, for example, by children, or by damage to the marker, for example, by collision. In view of the substantially lower price of the markers of the invention, their use is particularly advantageous where pilferage or other loss may be expected. The price of the markers of the invention is sufi'iciently low that the markers may be considered as expendable items, if desired.

The subject markers are light weight, may be nested to facilitate transportation, are simple and economical to construct, and yet have an appearance of being quite substantial thereby tending to deter people from intentionally colliding with the markers. In spite of the light weight of the markers, their pyramidal configuration enables the markers to withstand relatively strong air currents without displacement. When painted a bright color, the markers are visible from a substantial distance.

The markers of the invention are prepared from fiberboard which is preferably corrugated and coated or impregnated with a water roofiing resin. A fiberboard blank is folded into a two layered pyramidal configuration and staples or other securing means maintain the blank in the pyramidal shape. A particularly preferred embodiment of Patented Dec. 23, 1969 the invention comprises a corrugated, water proofed fiberboard blank folded into a generally pyramidal shape, said blank comprising a plurality of generally triangular shaped inner and outer sections with adjacent sections being connected to each other along a respective fold line, said inner sections being disposed within and in abutting relationship with the respective outer sections.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as this description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a fiberboard blank prior to being shaped into the marker of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is basically a side view of a marker of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the highway warning marker of the invention, generally designated by reference numeral 10, is formed from a fiberboard blank, the configuration of which is best seen in FIGURE 1. The fiberboard blank is subdivided by fold lines 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 into six sections or wall portions 22, 24, 26, 28, 3t) and 32. Each section has generally the shape of an isosceles triangle. To facilitate folding the sections upon the above mentioned fold lines, the apices of the sections 22, 24 and 26, which sections are somewhat smaller than sections 28, 30 and 32, are cut away as indicated by reference numeral 34 and a very small portion of the apices of sides 28 and 30 is also cut off as indicated by reference numeral 36.

In order to assemble the road marker, assuming that the blank is in the position shown in FIGURE 1, the sections 22 and 24 are lifted upwardly causing the blank to be folded along fold lines 12 and 14, and the free edge 21 of section 22 is placed along the fold line 16 thereby forming a pyramidal shaped member consisting of sections 22, 24 and 26. This three sided pyramidal shaped member is then pivoted to the left as seen in FIGURE 1 along fold line 16 so that the section 22 abut against section 28. In a similar fashion, the section 24 is then placed against section 30, and finally section 26 is placed against section 32 resulting in a two layered pyramidal structure as seen in FIGURE 2.

Staples 38 or other fastening members are passed through inner section 26 and the outer section 32 which has a free edge 35 to maintain the blank in its assembled position.

Referring to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the blank when assembled constitutes a light weight, reinforced structure with the outer surfaces of inner sections 22, 24 and 26 abutting against the inner surfaces of outer sections 28, 30 and 32, respectively.

The term fiberboard as used throughout the present specification and claims is intended to include paste board, paper board, card board, etc. The fiberboard is preferably corrugated and is preferably coated or impregnated with a water proofing coating. A number of suitable coatings are well known to those skilled in the art, for example, polyvinyl chloride and phenol formaldehyde resin. A particularly preferred material for practice of the invention is a fiberboard known in the trade as curtain coated corrugated paper board.

The outside surfaces of the marker are preferably coated with a bright or reflective paint to increase the visibility of the marker.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated that minor changes and modifications may readily suggest themselves to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is intended to encompass all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: I

1. A highway marker comprising a :blank of fiberboard folded into a generally pyramidal shape having an open base constituting a roadway engaging surface, said blank comprising a plurality of generally triangular shaped'inner and outer sections with adjacent sections being connected to each other along a respective fold line, said inner sections being disposed within and in abutting relationship with the respective outer sections, said blank being provided with a cut-out portion at the apices of at least some of said inner sections, and the apices of said outer sections meeting above and enclosing the cut-out portion at the apices of said inner sections.

2. A highway road marker according to claim 1, wherein the fiberboard is provided with a water proofing coating.

3. A highway marker according to claim 1, further comprising fastening means to secure one of said outer sections having a free edge to the respective inner section, and said fiberboard having a light reflective outer surface.

4. A highway marker comprising a blank of fiberboard folded into a generally pyramidal shape having an open base constituting a roadway engaging surface, said blank comprising a plurality of generally triangular shaped inner and outer sections with adjacent sections being connected to each other along a respective fold line, said inner sections being disposed within and in abutting relationship with the respective outer sections, said blank including six sections separated by a plurality of fold lines, said siX sections comprising three inner sections and three larger outer sections, said outer sections defining a substantially enclosed body, said blank being provided with a small cut-out portion at the apices of said three inner sections. said three larger outer sections having apices meeting above and enclosing the cut-out portion at the apices of said three inner sections.

5. A highway marker according to claim 4, wherein the fiberboard comprises curtain coated corrugated paperboard, and further comprising a waterproofing coating on said fiberboard to provide said marker with a waterproof outer surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,687,616 10/ 1928 Hute. 2,483,734 10/1949 Neal. 2,667,000 1/ 1954 OConnor. 2,771,260 11/1956 Thom. 2,935,238 5/1960 Koehler 229-22 2,965,280 12/1960 Miller 229-14 2,965,376 12/1960 Kessler. 3,244,348 4/ 1966 Shaw 229-22 FOREIGN PATENTS 603,337 1/1926 France.

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 22922 

